Cost of Living Comparison Between Oldham and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Oldham and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,072 in Oldham versus $2,321 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,051 in Oldham versus $3,399 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,030 in Oldham versus $4,477 in Hamilton.

Living in Oldham costs roughly 11% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oldham 51% above, Hamilton 69% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.41 £15.10
$18.38 CA$25.43
11.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.9 £65.8
$68.1 CA$94.3
30.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.73 £7.20
$12.51 CA$17.31
-22.22%
Cappuccino
$4.94 £3.66
$3.56 CA$4.92
38.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 £2.19
$2.20 CA$3.04
35.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 £1.54
$1.74 CA$2.40
19.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.67 £5.67
$5.18 CA$7.17
48.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.89 £5.10
$6.50 CA$9.00
6.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 £1.13
$2.05 CA$2.84
-25.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 £1.28
$2.22 CA$3.08
-22.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 £2.15
$2.84 CA$3.93
2.46%
Eggs
$3.65 £2.70
$3.44 CA$4.76
6.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.80 £7.25
$7.57 CA$10.48
29.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.15 £6.77
$10.40 CA$14.40
-12.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 £11.79
$14.04 CA$19.43
13.53%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 £2.37
$3.91 CA$5.42
-18.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 £1.44
$1.28 CA$1.77
51.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 £2.17
$4.27 CA$5.90
-31.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.43 £2.54
$3.92 CA$5.42
-12.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 £1.24
$2.64 CA$3.65
-36.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 £1.26
$1.75 CA$2.42
-2.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 £0.93
$2.34 CA$3.24
-46.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 £1.05
$1.46 CA$2.02
-2.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.42 £18.06
$14.22 CA$19.67
71.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 £7.61
$13.06 CA$18.07
-21.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.93 £2.17
$2.38 CA$3.30
23.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 £2.40
$4.19 CA$5.80
-22.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.77 £2.05
$2.74 CA$3.79
1.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.8 £70.2
$87.7 CA$121
8.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.29 £2.43
$3.50 CA$4.84
-6.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.07 £1.53
$1.33 CA$1.84
55.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.17 £23.06
$23.47 CA$32.48
32.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 £1.50
$1.19 CA$1.64
70.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.5K £29.3K
$28.9K CA$40.0K
36.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.5K £31.4K
$20.1K CA$27.8K
111.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$301 £223
$151 CA$209
99.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.60 £15.98
$40.12 CA$55.5
-46.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.03 £29.61
$51.2 CA$70.8
-21.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.84 £32.44
$37.62 CA$52.1
16.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.56 CA$29.83
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.69 £10.12
$10.27 CA$14.21
33.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,315 £973
$615 CA$852
113.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.5K £15.2K
$16.6K CA$23.0K
23.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.6 £67.7
$50.2 CA$69.5
82.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.56 £32.23
$34.50 CA$47.74
26.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 £73.9
$91.9 CA$127
8.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.1 £67.4
$121 CA$167
-24.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,238 £916
$1,320 CA$1,826
-6.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$748 £554
$1,211 CA$1,676
-38.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,443 £1,067
$2,063 CA$2,855
-30.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 £797
$1,928 CA$2,668
-44.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,372 £3,974
$2,814 CA$3,893
90.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,378 £3,239
$2,808 CA$3,886
55.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oldham
Hamilton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,504 £1,852
$2,912 CA$4,030
-14.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.99
4.6
8.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Oldham: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,238 in Oldham and $1,320 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89.0 in Oldham vs $68.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $311 vs $333, with Oldham cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Oldham vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hamilton cheaper than Oldham?
Oldham is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Oldham or Hamilton?
On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Hamilton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Oldham and Hamilton?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,238 in Oldham versus $1,320 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,315 in Oldham versus $615 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Oldham and in Hamilton?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Oldham or in Hamilton?
At $2,072 in Oldham versus $2,321 in Hamilton, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Oldham but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Oldham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Oldham or Hamilton more family-friendly?
For families, Oldham is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Oldham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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